OK I wasn't going to comment on Peter's ideas about biodiversity but....the concept of biodiversity is *anything* but "nebulous".  What is nebulous is our understanding of diversity networks in each biome.  This is an area under research right now and much is being learned.  The way we evaluate changes in diversity in any given place is done through bioinventories....which are very laborious and generally not thorough (the microbiota in particular is underrepresented in these studies).  The range of life forms in each biome is truly staggering, even in areas that appear to be relatively less diverse, like the Australian outback or Arctic tundra.  And we know almost nothing about species interdependence in each of these biomes.


The concept is clear.  There is just massive ignorance on our part.


Christina

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